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Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Blunting Effect Boring Carving Comments Common Names Common Uses Corrosive Properties Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Kiln Schedules Light-Induced Color Change Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Natural Growth Defects Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Substitutes Synonyms Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Scientific Name Entandrophragma cylindricum Trade Name Sapele Family Name Meliaceae Synonyms Entandrophragma rufum, Entandrophragma tomentosa Common Names Aboudikro, Acajou sapelle, Assi, Assie sapelli, Atore, Bibitu, Botsife, Bubussu, Cedar, Dilolo, Gold Coast cedar, Kwabohoro, Liboyo, Libuyu, Lifaki, Lifari, Lifuti, Lotue, M'boyo, Miovu, Muyovu, Odupon, Oweru, Penkua, Penkwa, Sapele, Sapele mahogany, Sapele wood, Sapeli, Sapelli, Scented mahogany, Tshimaye noir, Ubilesan, Undianuno, West African cedar Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Togo, Uganda, Zaire Common Uses Boat building (general), Boat building, Boxes and crates, Building materials, Cabinetmaking, Canoes, Carvings, Chairs, Chests, Concealed parts (Furniture), Decorative plywood, Decorative veneer, Desks, Dining-room furniture, Domestic flooring, Dowell pins, Dowells, Drawer sides, Excelsior, Figured veneer, Fine furniture, Floor lamps, Flooring, Flooring: industrial heavy traffic, Furniture , Furniture components, Furniture squares or stock, Furniture, Hatracks, Heavy construction, Interior construction, Joinery, Kitchen cabinets, Lifeboats, Light construction, Living-room suites, Musical instruments, Musical instruments: piano, Office furniture, Paneling , Paneling, Parquet flooring, Plywood corestock, Plywood, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rustic furniture, Shipbuilding, Stools, Sub-flooring, Tables , Tables, Turnery, Utility furniture, Vehicle parts, Veneer, Veneer: decorative, Wainscotting Environmental Profile Secure in many areas of its range Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Vulnerable in Cameroon and the Ivory Coast. It is considered as a Candidate for an environmental status assessment in Ghana and Uganda because it is suspected to be either Extinct, Endangered, Rare, or Vulnerable Distribution Overview Ranging from the Ivory Coast to the Cameroons and eastward through Zaire to Uganda (including Ghana).  Occurs in evergreen, deciduous, and transitional forest formation. Heartwood Color Brown Red Purple Reddish brown Pale red to pink Purple Red Dark brown Dark brown Brown The heartwood is pink when freshly cut, but it matures to a red-brown or purple-brown color. Sapwood Color White Brown Pink Yellow Well defined White to yellow Paler than heartwood Pinkish Gray-pink Cream Grain Figure Interlocked Distinct (figure) Stripe (figure) Wavy Straight Rippled (figure) Closed Even Mottled (figure) Growth rings (figure) Roey (figure) Fiddleback (figure) Interlocked Distinct figure Striped figure Wavy Straight Rippled figure Distinct and very fine figure Mottled figure Roey figure Moderately to severely interlocked Fiddleback figure Clear growth rings (figure) Quarter cut Sapele is reported to yield a ribbon, regular stripe or bee's wing. Other cuts feature various desirable patterns, including fiddlebacks, roe or a mottled design, especially in wood containing wavy grain. Texture Fine Fine Medium Fine to medium Moderately fine Coarse Luster Lustrous Pronounced High Golden luster Natural Growth Defects Gum canals Natural Durability Very durable Durable Resistant to termites Susceptible to insect attack Non-resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to termites Resistant to marine borers Moderately durable Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Susceptible to attack from termites (Isoptera) Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) are commonly present Non durable Moderately resistant to termite (Isoptera) attack Susceptible to marine borer attack Durable Susceptible to pinhole borer Susceptible to marine borer attack Sapwood susceptible to attack by powder post beetles Resistant to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Resistant to attack from pinworms (ambrosia beetles) Pinworms (ambrosia beetles) may be present in the felled log Moderately resistant to African termites. Odor Cedar-Like scent that remains even after long exposure. Light-Induced Color Change None Darker Corrosive Properties Reacts with metals Toxicity Respiratory effects Dermatitic effects Kiln Schedules Drying (speed) is fast Dry at a slow speed Kiln Drying Rate (in days) is fairly rapid Dry at a moderate speed Drying Defects Moderate twist/warp Severe twisting/warping Moderate end spitting Slight twist/warp Slight end splitting Slight collapse and honeycomb Moderate cupping Distortion (twist/warp) is likely Checking Moderate temperatures are recommended especially during the early stages of drying Ease of Drying Slowly Variable results. Difficult Dries at a fairly rapid rate Quartered material seasons best Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Fairly rapid (11-17 days for boards under 32 mm, to 31-51 days for boards greater than 63 mm) Tree Identification Bole/stem form is buttressed Bole/stem form is cylindrical Bole/stem form is straight Tree Size Tree height is 10-20 m Bole length is 10-20 m Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Bole length is 0-10 m Tree height is 20-30 m Product Sources The ITTO reports that the species is an important source of timber and is exported regularly. Sapele is readily available as either veneer or lumber, with prices ranging from average to valuable. Specified grades of Sapele are also easier to fill. Quartered sapele yields beautiful straight stripes. Flat cut wood produces attractive cathedrals and cantilevered hearts and Sapele pommele, a wild blisterered grain pattern present in some trees. Sapele pommele is a highly popular veneer, and is used by designers for architectural interiors, table tops, and wall paneling. The best grades of Sapele are reported to feature a fine pencil stripe of uniform width. Substitutes Kosipo (Entandrophragma candollei) Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Sapele is comparable to Oak in strength properties, and is stronger than either African (Khaya ) or American mahogany (Swietenia ). Blunting Effect Blunting effect on machining is slight Blunting effect on sawing dry wood is moderate Blunting effect on machining is moderate Boring Good results Carving Easy to carve Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is easy Low resistance Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Easy to glue Glues well Mortising Difficult to mortise Moulding Difficult to mould Tends to tear where interlocked grain is present Reduced cutting angle is suggested Movement in Service Medium Nailing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Pre-Boring Recommended Easy to nail Holds nails well Good nailing properties Planing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Difficult to plane Easy to plane Interlocked material has a tendency to tear. Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Heartwood is resistant Heartwood is highly resistant Very difficult to treat Sapwood is resistant Sapwood is moderately resistant Response to Hand Tools Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Easy to machine Moderate working qualities Fairly good Routing & Recessing Routing is easy Sanding Very good characteristics Screwing Easy to screw Screwing yields good results Fairly good characteristics Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Yields smooth, clean surface. Responds well Veneering Qualities Easy to cut Suitable for slicing Suitable for peeling No drying degrade. Dries flat without splitting Good gluing qualities The material is quartered to yield a straight grain appearance, and is usually flat cut for cathedrals. Steam Bending Poor Very poor Painting Satisfactory results Good results Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Satisfactory results Good results Excellent results Staining Finish is generally satisfactory Finish is generally good Stains well <